Ranunculus plant named ‘ABGUNRAY’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus plant named ‘ABGUNRAY’ is disclosed, characterized by large vivid red flowers with long, thick pedicels and a typical vase life of 20 to 25 days. Plants have a unique foliage carriage, with foliage occurring densely at the base of the plant. The new variety is a Ranunculus, normally produced as a cut flower and potentially useful as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Ranunculus asiaticus.

Variety denomination: ‘ABGUNRAY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Ranunculus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Alberto Biancheri at a research nursery in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during 2012.

The seed parent is the, unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Ranunculus ‘232-03’. The pollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Ranunculus ‘73-08/1SV’. The new variety was discovered in 2014 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2012 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed by vegetative division of buds sprouting from the rhizome of the selected plant. Subsequent propagation has been performed by tissue culture. First propagation took place at a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy in 2014 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ABGUNRAY’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ABGUNRAY’ as a new and distinct Ranunculus cultivar:

-   -   1. Vivid red double flowers.     -   2. Long, thick pedicels.     -   3. Low foliage carriage, flowers occurring high above a low         growing plant.     -   4. Long vase life.     -   5. Flower diameter of 8 to 10 cm.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety are a different color than those         of the seed parent.     -   2. Flowers of the new variety are larger than flowers of the         seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety are a different color than those         of the pollen parent.     -   2. Vegetative carriage of the new variety is lower than that of         the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABGUNRAY’ are comparable to the unpatented commercial variety Ranunculus ‘ABATARGAS’. The two Ranunculus varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘ABGUNRAY’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Foliage of this comparator is variegated, foliage of the new         variety is unvariegated.     -   2. Flower color or the new variety is pure vivid red, flower         color of this comparator is deep orange red.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color flowering plants of the new variety at approximately six months old, grown in a greenhouse during March in Camporosso, Italy. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 6^(th) edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe 5-month-old ‘ABGUNRAY’ plants grown in a greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The plant has been described in the month of February. In order to protect the crop against pests, some chemical treatments are performed. Treatments with growth regulators can be performed to limit the plant sizes. In particular, no growth regulators have been applied on the plant described. The rhizome has been planted on raised benches in a peat and pumice substrate mixture. The growing temperature ranged from 12° C. to 26° C. during the day and from 0° C. to 6° C. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Ranunculus asiaticus ‘ABGUNRAY’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to rooting: 15 days at approximately 10-12° C. -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet: 20 days. -   Root description: Tuberous root.

PLANT

-   Growth habit: Herbaceous perennial, semi-prostrate vegetation. -   Height to top flower: 55 to 65 cm. -   Leaf height: 40 to 50 cm. -   Plant spread: 60 to 65 cm. -   Growth rate: Medium. -   Branching characteristics: Main floral stems grow from a basal     rosette with 3 or 4 lateral branches, each one of which has one or     more flowers. -   Length of lateral branches: 50 to 60 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 6 to 8 mm. -   Texture of lateral branches: Slightly tomentose. -   Internode length: Internodes are extremely close together, forming a     basal rosette. -   Strength of lateral branches: Medium. -   Color of lateral branches: Near RHS Yellow-Green 144A. -   Aspect/angle of branches: 25° to 35°. -   Number of leaves per lateral branch: Usually 2.

FOLIAGE

-   The plant has a marked heterophylly that means that in the same     plant the leaves may have different size and arrangement (simple,     ternate and biternate), in relation to the degree of development     (young leaf and mature leaf) and their position on the plant (basal     leaf—leaf at the base of the plant—and cauline leaf—leaf inserted at     the nodes of the floral stems). In other words, there are     significant variation in leaf shape on a same plant. -   Leaf at the base of the plant:     -   -   Arrangement.—Simple or Ternate (young leaf); Ternate (mature             leaf,).         -   Average length.—22 to 35 cm.         -   Average width.—20 to 25 cm.         -   Overall shape of blade.—Obovate (young leaf); Palmatipartite             (mature leaf).         -   Dissected leaves, describe lobes, quantity of             dissection.—Young leaves are generally not lobed or a little             lobed; mature leaves are generally divided in 3 parts, each             one of which is further divided in 3 or more lobes.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Glossy.         -   Appearance bottom surface.—Glossy.         -   Leaf internode length.—The internodes are extremely close             together, forming a basal rosette.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137B. Young             foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Mature foliage upper             side: RHS Green 137B. Mature foliage under side: RHS Green             RHS 138B.         -   Venation.—Type: Dichotomous; plunging into the limb at the             upper surface; raised on the limb at the lower surface.             Venation color upper side: RHS Green 138B. Venation color             under side: RHS Green 137B.         -   Petiole.—Cross section: Long, tubular, or slightly             flattened. Length: Average range 11 to 20 cm. Diameter:             Average range 0.5 to 1.0 cm. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose.             Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. -   Leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems:     -   -   Arrangement.—Biternate.         -   Average length.—18 to 30 cm.         -   Average width.—10 to 12 cm.         -   Overall shape of blade.—Palmatipartite.         -   Dissected leaves, describe lobes, quantity of             dissection.—Generally divided in 3 parts, each one of which             is further divided in many lobes.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Margin.—Dentate.         -   Texture of top surface.—A little tomentose.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—A little tomentose.         -   Appearance of top surface.—Matte.         -   Appearance bottom surface.—Matte.         -   Leaf internode length.—Average 7 to 15 cm.         -   Color.—Foliage upper side: RHS Green RHS 137B. Foliage under             side: RHS Green RHS N138B.         -   Venation.—Type: Dichotomous, plunging into the limb at the             upper surface and raised on the limb at the lower surface.             Venation color upper side: RHS Green 138B. Venation color             under side: RHS Green 137B.         -   Petiole.—General: Long, slightly flat in cross-section.             Length: Average 10 to 18 cm. Diameter: Average 0.5 to             0.9 cm. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS             Yellow-Green 144A.

FLOWER

-   Quantity per plant: 8 to 10. -   Bloom period: Winter to Spring. -   Vase life (cut flower): 20 to 25 days. -   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-Cleaning. -   Bud:     -   -   Closed bud.—Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp point.             Length: Average 1.0 to 1.5 cm. Diameter: Average 0.4 to             2.2 cm. Color: RHS Purple N77A.         -   Slightly open bud.—Shape: Flattened globular. Length:             Average 1.5 to 2.0 cm. Diameter: Average 2.0 to 3.0 cm.             Color: RHS Red 53B. -   Flower:     -   -   Fully open diameter.—Average 8 to 10 cm.         -   Fully open height.—Average 3 to 4 cm. -   Corolla: Round, regular, in cross-section. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Imbricated, disposed on the receptacle in very             tight verticils. The size of the petals is quite variable,             according to the position in the corolla, decreasing from             the exterior toward the center.         -   Average size.—         -   Lobe length.—Average 4.0 to 5.0 cm.         -   Lobe width.—Average 3.0 to 4.0 cm.         -   Quantity.—Double flower, petals are very numerous (>100).         -   Texture.—Silky, thin, resistant.         -   Lobe apex.—Flat, blunt.         -   Lobe shape.—Obovate.         -   Margin.—Finely Crenate.         -   Aspect.—Concave.         -   Color when opening.—Upper surface: Near RHS Red 53B. Lower             surface: Near RHS Red 53B.         -   Color fully opened.—Upper surface: Near RHS Red 45A. Lower             surface: Near RHS Red 45A. -   Calyx/sepals:     -   -   Quantity per flower.—6 or 9.         -   Shape.—Concave.         -   Length.—Average 2.5 to 3.0 cm.         -   Width.—Average 0.7 to 1.2 cm.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Lower surface: Tomentose. Upper surface: Glabrous.         -   Color.—Upper Surface: RHS Purple N77A. Lower Surface: RHS             Green N137A, flushed Purple N77A along veins. -   Peduncle: None. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—Average range 53 to 64 cm.         -   Diameter.—Average range 1.0 to 1.8 cm.         -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144A.         -   Orientation.—Upright.         -   Pubescence.—Slightly tomentose. -   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Androecium: Absent. -   Gynoecium: The pistils are numerous, short, locked together at the     center of the corolla, dome-shaped apocarpous gynoecium.     -   -   Pistil color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144A.         -   Nectar glands.—Absent.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Disease resistance: Not observed. -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance: No differences have been noted     in comparison to the common tolerance characteristics to other     Ranunculus cultivars. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus plant named ‘ABGUNRAY’ as herein illustrated and described. 